President Obama, at a midday nationally televised press conference June 29, was repeatedly pressed for his views on marriage equality. He spoke out strongly against discrimination based on sexual orientation and detailed many of the things his administration has done to advance equal rights for LBGT people. However, he continued to dodge questions about his personal view of same-sex marriage.

Political commentators had been speculating that a question about marriage equality would be asked, given Obama's high-profile speech in New York on the eve of that marriage equality vote last week. Also, for the first time in the history of presidential press conferences, a gay-specific question came up at the beginning of the event. The second reporter called onMSNBC's White House reporter Chuck Toddasked the president to comment on the constitutionality of three things: the War Powers Act, the debt limit and if Obama believed "marriage is a civil right."

After Todd asked his question, the president laughed and noted that Todd had asked a "hodgepodge" of a question.

"We're going to assign you to the Supreme Court," quipped the president. "I'm not a Supreme Court justice, so I'm not going to put on my constitutional-law professor hat here." He then said he wanted to talk about Libya and did so, concluding that he didn't think the constitutionality of the War Powers Act was really at issue. He then asked Todd to repeat the other parts of his question and Todd asked about marriage.

The president was clearly prepared.

"This administration under my direction has consistently said we can not discriminate as a country against people based on sexual orientation," said Obama. He said his administration has done more to advance equal rights for LGBT people in two and a half years than the previous 43 presidents, and he rattled off a list of accomplishmentsfrom a new hate-crimes law to a law repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to hospital visitation to refusing to defend "the federal government poking its nose" into state laws defining marriage. He also said the administration "filed briefs before the Supreme Court that say we think any discrimination against gay, lesbian, and transgender people is subject to heightened scrutiny."

That latter reference was apparently to a letter the administration sent to Congress, not the Supreme Court, notifying it that the president and attorney general had concluded the Defense of Marriage Act ( DOMA ) is unconstitutional and that laws infringing upon the rights of LGBT people, like DOMA, should be given the highest level of scrutiny by the courts.

"We've made sure that is a central principle of this administration," said Obama.

Although Todd did not ask about New York specifically, Obama spoke about New York's marriage law, essentially repeating comments made at last week's fundraiser. He said the state of New York "made a decision to recognize civil marriage, and I think it is important for us to work through these issues." Each community and each state, he said, will be different.

"What you're seeing is a profound recognition that gay, lesbian and transgender persons are our brothers and sisters, our children, our friends and co-workers, and they've got to be treated like every other American, and I think that principle will win out," said Obama. He said he does not think progress in this area will be "perfectly smooth" but that he has learned "a president can't dictate precisely how this process moves."

"But we're moving in the direction of greater equality," said Obama, "and I think that's a good thing."

Laura Meckler of the Wall Street Journal pressed a second question on marriage equality, asking Obama, "Do you personally now support same-sex marriage?"

"I'm not going to make news on that today," said Obama, using a line he has engaged in previous interviews when asked about marriage equality. He then answered another question of Meckler's on a different topic.

Meckler then pressed again, asking about his personal views on same-sex marriage.

"I think this has been asked and answered," said Obama, "and I'll keep on giving you the same answer until I give you a different one, and that won't be today."

�2011 Keen News Service. All rights reserved.

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